Not So Lonely at the Top
by hey.moon.hello.goodbye
Summary: It was weird how you could go from being a friendless loser to being a loser with friends in a second. Rachel/Tina/Mercedes friendship.


**A/N: To those of you who subscribe to me, if you were waiting for some new HP stuff, I'm extremely sorry to disappoint. I've discovered the BEST show in the whole world (well sort of second to NCIS, maybe tied), Glee! I figured I'd type some stuff out and put it up, just see what anyone thinks. **

"Seriously, it's a simple question," Mercedes said exasperatedly. "Which one d'you like _more_, Rachel?"

"We're supposed to be practicing," Rachel protested for the millionth time. She had invited Mercedes and Tina over to practice for an upcoming Glee event, and already the three girls were off track.

"You're avoiding the question," Tina interjected, somehow managing to examine her nails and glare at Rachel at the same time. "It's an easy question: Puck or Finn?"

Rachel sighed. "I don't see how this is any of your business. It is ultimately a decision I will make on my own time, and I doubt either of those two young men would even begin to reciprocate my feelings."

Mercedes blinked. "I'm in Honors English and even I didn't understand that."

"I think we should make a Rachel-to-English translator," Tina added.

"Yeah, totally…"

Rachel wasn't even sure how this had started. Mr. Schue had given them a three-part harmony song for a Christmas song for the upcoming holiday concert, and they'd stayed late to rehearse it but it was Friday so Rachel subtly suggested that maybe they should get together to practice and _boom,_ Tina and Mercedes were suddenly in her house. Talking to her fathers, eating her frozen pizza, downing her Diet Cokes. Sprawling out on her bedroom floor.

It was weird how you could go from being a friendless loser to being a loser with friends in a second. Rachel was surprised that she was actually having fun, and her halfhearted attempts to get the girls to practice were proving futile.

Tina nibbled on her crust and rolled onto her stomach, kicking her legs in the air. "I guess I can see how the decision would be so difficult," she said, sighing. "I mean, Puck's totally hot but kind of an asshole, but Finn's dumb as a post and at least Puck seems on top of whatever's going on." She paused and Mercedes grinned. "Oh, God, I can't believe I just said the phrase _on top_ in reference to Puck. God. That's another thing. He and his cougars." She put finger quotes around "cougars" and all three of the girls collapsed in a pile of giggles.

"Why are we talking about me, anyway?" Rachel said. "What about you guys?"

"What about us _what_?" Mercedes said, rolling her eyes. "Our nonexistent love lives are so interesting. Well, I should speak for myself." She eyed Tina knowingly.

"What?" Rachel said, looking from Mercedes to Tina and back again. "Tell me!"

Tina's blush was visible through her golden-brown skin. Mercedes' neat little smile widened, revealing more of her white Chiclet-esque teeth. She flipped her hair smugly and said, "Tina, why don't you tell us 'bout you and Wheels?"

"Artie?!" Rachel screeched, grinning. "I _so_ knew it!"

Tina buried her face in her hands and moaned. "Well, I don't even have a chance with him, anyway. He won't even look at me."

Mercedes snorted. "Yeah. He totally does. When you're not looking."

"He does seem to steal glances at you often," Rachel mused. "What happened between you two? I know you told him about your stutter, but I'm not aware of what occurred before that specific encounter."

"Um." Tina ran her hands through her hair and looked at the ceiling, clearly mildly uncomfortable with the subject. "We went out. We kissed. I told him. End."

"I've told you before, but if you want, Tee, I _will_ cut him," Mercedes said, looking threatening. "That little piece of shit, ignoring you like that."

Rachel smiled at Mercedes' protectiveness of their shy friend. "Or we could talk to him, if you wanted," she offered.

Tina shook her head. "It's okay. I'm okay."

Even it was clear it/she wasn't, they let it alone because they'd learned Tina would talk when she was ready.

"So, the ultimatum," Tina said, looking wicked. "Puck or Finn?"

Rachel groaned. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, girl! Spill it!" Mercedes shifted her position so she was a little closer to Rachel, probably to hear the gossip a bit better.

It was strange, really. They were only three girls. Three losers with similar passions and dissimilar personalities. They were strung together by melodies and chords and pages filled to the brim with music. Music burst from their hearts, disguised as their voices: one showy and near-perfect, one timid and clear, one strong and wholesome, all beautiful. Their looks put them apart; the short, perky brunette, the skinny, gothic Korean, and the curvy, fashionable African-American, but they all somehow fit together perfectly, like puzzle pieces. They all had their roles. Rachel was the ambitious go-getter. Mercedes was the advice-giver. Tina was the voice of reason.

Never, under any, well, normal circumstances, would they have become friends. Rachel was just too annoying on the outside for anyone to become friends with unless forced to spend time with her. Mercedes was too busy between trying out new techniques to rid her clothes of slushie stains and singing the lead in church choir to even think of befriending them. Tina just downright hadn't really liked people, or had been too shy to approach them.

But then Glee happened and they'd stuck together, but it seemed now that they might actually be… _friends._

And Rachel, who'd had her sights set on Juilliard and Broadway Avenue and glittery awards ever since the tender age of four, was set to rethink her priorities. Maybe it wasn't so lonely at the top, she thought. Maybe it'd be worth it to keep these girls close to her.

And as she looked at Tina and Mercedes, both giggling wildly over something inconsequential, she was positive.

**Review? **


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